Navjot Singh Sidhu, the Congress leader and former cricketer, has been released from jail after 10 months. He was serving time for his role in a road-rage incident 34 years ago, in which a man was killed. Speaking to NDTV ahead of his release, Sidhu’s son said that his father had taken the opportunity to introspect whilst incarcerated and had become a “changed man”. He also claimed that his father had taken the time to meditate as well as improving his fitness and shedding a few extra kilos. Sidhu is expected to come back with a new strategy.
His release came earlier than expected due to his good conduct during his imprisonment. Several members of the Congress party and supporters gathered outside the prison to welcome him back. However, the Supreme Court last year ordered Sidhu to spend one year in “rigorous imprisonment” following a petition from the family of the man who had died. In 1988, Sidhu had become embroiled in an argument with Gurnam Singh, a resident of Patiala, over a parking spot. Sidhu and his friend allegedly dragged Singh out of his car and hit him repeatedly. Singh later died in hospital. Sidhu was initially cleared of murder in 2018 by the Supreme Court but last year’s ruling resulted in his return to jail.
The Supreme Court had also initially ordered Sidhu to pay a fine of Rs 1,000 for voluntarily hurting a person. However, the court reviewed its own decision and said that “some aggravated culpability” must be attached if a person dies.
Analysis: Navjot Singh Sidhu’s release follows recent decisions by the Indian Government to free some jailed undertrials and certain categories of prisoners on parole and interim bail in an effort to ease prison overcrowding and mitigate the spread of coronavirus. Earlier this year, the Central Bureau of Investigation released a statement announcing that 741 convicts had been granted an early release from different jails across the country. Sidhu’s early release may well be a part of these measures.
However, Gurnam Singh’s family has expressed its disappointment at Sidhu’s release, insisting that they will continue to fight for justice. Speaking to The Times of India, Singh’s son said that the family had not been made aware of Sidhu’s release date and described it as “unexpected”. He went on to say: “We are not happy with the situation. We had hoped that justice would be delivered to my father. But it seems as if only 50% of it has been done. We’re not giving up, and we’ll fight till we get justice.”
As well as attracting criticism from the victim’s family, Sidhu’s case has also brought attention to the criminal justice system in India. A report by Amnesty International, released earlier this year, detailed the challenges faced by undertrials, who constitute some 70% of India’s prison population. The report called for increased access to legal aid and greater scrutiny of investigations and bail proceedings.
